Rail joint



Jul 8, 1924. 1500140 J. E. M MULLEN RAIL JOINT Filed Oct. 19. 1923 INVEN TOR.

C/em. F K/mba/l A TTORNEY.

Patented duly 1924,

warren sane RAIL JOINT.

Application filed October 19, 1923. Serial No. 669,570.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. MCMULLEN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail Joints,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the use of fish plates formed with a divided base plate; the base plates being adapted to engage each other beneath the rail; and the object of my invention is to provide with the fish plates an interlocking base plate underneath the rail joint so that looseness of the bolts will not cause unevenness of the rails, and so that the clamping of the rails will hold the ends securely upon the same base plate.

I attain these objects by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the ends of the rails locked; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the oint as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 isan end view of one of the plates; Figure 4: is a plan of the plate shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an end view of the complement to the plate shown in Figures 3 and l; Figure 6 is a plan of the plate shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is an end view of the joint.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views;

M, is an ordinary rail fish plate having an extended portion a, forged or formed upon it adapted to carry the ends of the rails. The portion n, is shaped in a diagonal manner, the diagonal side being at the center of the rails r, at the joined ends. A complementary plate m, having a similar base plate end cut away diagonally as n, but complementary to it is employed. The base plate a, is provided with a pin 2, and a pin receptacle 0, and likewise the base plate n, is in opposite arrangement provided with a pin 9, and a pin receptacle 0. The pin p, and the receptacle 0, and the p, and receptacle 0, are so positioned with reference to each other that when the parts n, and n, are pushed together in their position against the rails 1', and r,

the

base plates n, and a, form a base plate having the upper surface in line and adapted to support the bottom of the ends of the rails r, and r; The fish plates m, and m,

are provided with the usual bolt holes as l c, and of, spaced with reference to the holes in the rails 7 and r, and adapted to receive the bolts 6, b, 6', and b.

It will be readily seen that when the ends of the rails r, and 1", are brought together and the plate m, is placed against the ends of the rails with the base plate a underneath, the plate m, with its base plate a, placed on the opposite side of the rails can be slid into an engagement of the base plates at, and 07/, pin p, occupying the receptacle 0, and the pin 79, occupying the receptacle 0. The pins 29 and p are arranged to go into the receptacle 0 and 0 on a taper or bind for tightness. This will bring the bolt hole 00, and 0c, in line with the bolt holes of rails W, and the bolts 7), b, b, b, are inserted.

Vhen these bolts are screwed up it will be apparent that a joint will be secured having an interlocked plate beneath upon which some portion of both parts a, and a, will support each of the rails.

By removing the bolts and driving either plate lengthwise of the rail the base plates 1% and a, will be disengaged and the rails r, and T, will be separated.

Should the bolts become slightly loosened as is frequently the case in practice, the rails will nevertheless be evenly supported upon the base plate.

I am aware that prior to my invention and discovery combined fish and base plates have been used, but what I desire to claim is:

In a rail joint two fish plates each having a complementary base plate formed thereon, said complementary base plates forming a joint diagonal with the axis of the rails, a pin and receptacle in each complementary base plate adapted to engage a pin and receptacle in the other and bolts adapted to hold the said complementary plates engaged and to clamp the ends of the rails.

JOHN E. MOMU'LLEN. 

